While on vacation with my wife this week, we were visiting the Old Towne shops in Bera, Kentucky. Behind the counter of Hot Flash Beads, we met an inspiring lady, Jimmy Lou Jackson, owner and creator. She joyfully makes and sells all kinds of beads, earrings, necklaces and other jewelry. Jimmy Lou revels in demonstrating her lampworking process with a steady stream of jovial banter with her spectator-soon-to-be-customers. I love a quote on her wall-sized bio that reads, “You can do something practical or do something that makes your heart sing.”

In conversation with Jimmy Lou, we learned that that she spent every work day up until age 50, examining PAP smears in a lab looking for cancer cells. Certainly, her calling made a significant difference in the early detection of cancer in the lives of thousands of Central Kentucky women over those many years. But now, the former cytologist, heats up science with a love of art. My wife looked over Jimmy Lou’s shoulder as her glowing torch met with molten glass rods, slowly forming and building each uniquely designed bead by hand. Jackson’s bead jewels are as astonishing and distinctive as the natural patterns that occur in fossils, gems and minerals. Fusing the worlds of science and art, Jimmy Lou has found her calling.

Are you doing what makes your heart sing? Or, are you just doing what is practical? If your days aren’t filled with what makes your heart sing, why not? What would a perfect day look like for you? Take time to write out a brief description.

What steps will you need to take to get to live your perfect day a year from now or two years from now? Even if you can’t completely transition to your dream life in a year or two, what intermediary steps will you take in the next year to prepare for a more complete shift later? The areas that usually need attention are finances, time and your energy—both emotional and spiritual.

What are the obstacles that stand in your way of living in such a way that you are doing what makes your heart sing? It’s good to start building your capacity now in the areas above so they aren’t hinderances. Obviously, if you don’t take any steps toward living your dream now, you will never live it in the future.

Jimmy Lou is living her dream because she made deliberate determinations and decisions before age 50. What one thing will you do this week to make your heart sing?

QUESTION:What makes your heart sing?Share it with the rest of us in the comment section below.

3 responses to What Makes Your Heart Sing?

Over the past couple of years, God has been teaching me some hard lessons. One result of these lessons has been to find delight and allow my heart to “sing” in moments that in the past, I would simply let pass by without a thought. A loving smile from my husband; a gentle hug from my mother; the sound of my son’s voice and the twinkle in his eye…thank The Lord for these small things that make my heart sing! He is leading me along a path of His choosing, and for that I am thankful. I’m excited for the next lesson and the simple things He has planned which are greater than anything I could ever imagine. There are many things I love to do, but I wait in anticipation for His prompting.

This blog post was just for me! 🙂
I have known what makes my heart sing since I was a little girl & it has only gotten stronger every year. I’m still not able to do it like I desire, but when I do, it does make my heart sing! I got my first camera at age 12 & photography has been a passion since, but in in my 20’s I started making my own greeting cards with my photos. Then I became a Christian & love the Word, & found out one of my gifts is encouragement, so putting it all together into making greeting cards with my photos, finding just the right Scripture to go with it to encourage someone…is my passion. I’ve had to pretty much quit when I got my laptop & had to change software, & it doesn’t do a good job with my printer…so the singing has kind of stopped for a couple years…can’t wait to learn more about the Apple computer, get the right software & printer & sing again! Thanks for the encouragement. This blog post is just confirmation of what I am aiming for…I think I may like to blog some day too. Looks like a neat way to use the photos, Word, & encouragement also!
I have gotten behind on your blog posts so am printing a bunch out to take in the car for our trip to GA; John & I can talk about them on our long drive. Thanks, Dennis!